Mold Delays Search at WTC Bank

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Monday June 10 07:21 AM EDT

Mold Delays Search at WTC Bank

By GREG GITTRICH

A damaged 40-story building near Ground Zero will not be searched for human

remains until its owners and the city agree on how to handle a mold

infestation and other health hazards, sources said.

Deutsche Bank, which owns 130 Liberty St., is to meet today with the city

Office of Emergency Management and the Fire Department to discuss the

recovery operation.

Officials need to sort out how and when the potentially contaminated debris

inside the building should be searched. The city hopes to work out a plan

this week, sources said.

The long-awaited deal would be greatly welcomed by recovery workers at the

World Trade Center site who have been pressing for weeks to conduct a

meticulous search of the building.

Officials stepped up their requests to sift through debris in the tower and

two other buildings, 90 West St. and 130 Cedar St., in April - when Mayor

Bloomberg was preparing to select a day to mark the end of the recovery

effort.

Bloomberg noted again yesterday that the May 30 ceremony was a symbolic end

to the work.

" We expected to find other bodies, " he said. " We are going through the same

procedures with the same respect and the same care no matter where we find

pockets of debris. And unfortunately this will go on for a while. "

Remains Found

About a dozen remains were found during searches of 90 West St. and 130

Cedar St.

" The big problem with the bank building is the mold, " said a recovery

official, who asked not to be named.

" If we send a recovery team into that building and they get a respiratory

problem, who is responsible? " the official asked. " It may be the building

owner. It may not be. We're trying to figure that out. "

The facade of the bank building was torn open by the collapsing twin towers.

The bank building is stable, but an aggressive mold has spread along its

walls and ventilation ducts.

Bank employees who have entered the building say they have been required to

wear a protective suit and respirator.

Gov. Pataki predicted an agreement to search the building would be reached

soon. " I'm confident that the city will be able to work out any disputes

with any private entities, " he said.

Deutsche Bank officials did not return calls. With L. Colangelo